Job Description for a Retail Sales Associate - Assignment Example

Abstract

This research paper addresses issues of performance management.it highlights the job description for a retail sales associate, organizational behavior modification plan and ways to measure whether current employees exhibit the essential job performance behaviors. Additionally, it address the methods used to provide feedback to the retail sales associate, actions that leaders need to take to reinforce positive employee behavior and the legal and ethical issues that affect performance management system.

Job description for a retail sales associate

Reports to: The sales representatives will report to the retail store manager and the sales manager.

Purpose: The primary objective of the sales representatives will be to plan, carrying marketing and sales activities and find new markets to develop sales of the retail store in line with the agreed business plan.

Key responsibilities.

• To promote sales for the category of products by selling to conventional retail outlets and customers.

• Promotion and market planning based on the business plan to achieve the set monthly targets and the annual goals.

• To report the sales progress to the sales manager on timely basis

• To meet the sales targets

• Maintain strong business relationships with buyers.

• Develop new strategies to ensure repeat business and referrals from customers

• Evaluate customers purchasing trends, market conditions and the activities of the competitors.

• Carry out market research, entrants and customer surveys.

Qualifications

• Have at least a diploma in the related field

• Have extensive knowledge of retail sales

• Have excellent interpersonal skills

• Be confident, aggressive, patient and presentable.

• Have good communication skills

• Proven ability to attain the set sales targets.

Organizational Behavior Modification plan.

An organizational Behavior Modification (OBM) plan helps in improving employee’s performance through the change of their essential behaviors that are necessary for their job performance. Organizational behavior modification may be used to strengthen sales quotas, office tenure, quality of reports and consumer service. Organizational behavior modification comprises positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment and extinction (Kurgat, Chebet and Rotich, 2015).

Positive reinforcement involves encouraging employee behavior by recognizing their good deeds. Therefore, employees who will surpass their sales quota by 25%, the sales associate will receive extra 10% above her typical commission. Additionally, the sales associate will be given praise in front of other staff.

Negative reinforcement means stopping using harmful or unwanted consequences because an employee has improved their negative behavior. In this case, when the sales associate meets their sales quotas they will not be required to work overtime (Kurgat, Chebet and Rotich, 2015). Additionally, there will be no daily sales pitch meetings when sales begin to increase. This will allow employees more time to engage in their activities outside the organization hence have a work life balance leading to improved performance.

Punishment is least reinforce. Punishment is used to decrease an unwanted action by imposing an undesirable punishment. Punishment makes employees know that their mistake is unacceptable. Organizational behavior modification will, therefore, be used in this case, and associates who will not meet the sales quotas will be required to work overtime (Mullins, 2010). Those who disobey the company policies will be suspended to serve as examples to other sales associates.

Extinction involves the expulsion of employees who do not meet the set targets. Therefore employees who will not meet their sales goals for more than three months they will be expelled (Kurgat, Chebet and Rotich, 2015). This will serve to ensure that sales associates will struggle to ensure they meet the sales targets hence improved productivity for the business.

Ways to measure whether current employees exhibit the essential job performance behaviors

To measure whether employees possess key performance behaviors, I will use the company policies to define the work performance of every employee. To measure the performance tangible evidence of the sales by the employee will be reviewed without their knowledge. Similarly, various rating scales such as the graphic rating scale, behavior observation scale and the critical incident methods will be used. The graphic rating scale will measure employee performance based on their traits and behavior by providing a rating number for the behavior or character. Some of the traits may include teamwork, communication skills and interpersonal skills (Ballard, 2013). The behavior observation scale will be used to measure the sales associate’s ability to keep updated and clean customer records, communication in ways that buyers can understand, ability to multitask to meet the set targets and the desire to learn new tasks. This behavior will be observed and rated on a scale to help promote positive behaviors and eliminate the negative behaviors among staff.

The critical incident method involves the use of several techniques to study the staff behaviors. The sales manager will, therefore, keep records of all the retail sales associates which will help explain positive or negative behaviors that affect their performance. The recorded incidents give proof of the effective or ineffective behavior displayed which helps the manager to offer constructive feedback to develop positive behaviors and prevent negative behaviors (Ballard, 2013).

Employees will be informed of their new performance standards online through emails, team meetings and performance feedback meeting. The team and performance feedback meetings will be compulsory for every employee and will be conducted monthly (Mirza, 2009). During the meeting issues concerning new sales performance standards in the retail store will be discussed and every member will be given the opportunity to participate. Additionally, all employees will receive emails of the written new performance standards and will be requested to read and understand carefully. The emails will also contain a comment section where the workers will be expected to provide feedback and ask any question related to their work performance standards. The management should create a workplace culture where the employee feels valued. This will help build employee loyalty and teamwork (Kurgat, Chebet and Rotich, 2015). The employees should be treated fairly, and the managers should ensure open communication. Open communication will improve work relationships among staff and the managers.

Methods of providing feedback to employees

Providing the retail sales associate with feedback will involve two methods. First, employees will be given feedback through online reports. The reports will indicate areas that need improvements, the achievements and what needs to be done. The reports will be clear and precise for easier understanding of all the employees. These online reports will be provided on a weekly basis. Secondly, I will use personal meeting where employees will share their strengths and weaknesses that affect their success. I will let every employee know how much they are appreciated (Mirza, 2009). The meetings will also involve constructive criticism on the employee’s performance. The focus will be on performance other than personality.

Actions company leaders should take to reinforce positive employee behavior.

As an HR manager, I will ensure that all staff efficiently receive feedback with regards to their job performance. Based on the organizational policies I will make sure that employees receive feedback on a frequent basis. I will have a feedback system where information will be provided on what the employees are doing rather than criticizing them (Ballard, 2013). All staff will be given a copy of the feedback policy to ensure they are aware of the company operations. The feedback will be provided in line with the organizational goals to make sure that it reinforces positive behavior among the staff.

Company leaders should appreciate the team that has performed well. This will promote the feeling of encouragement within employees and try to improve based on their performance feedback. The leaders should also support motivational activities such group games, team building and cultural festivals (Mullins, 2010). These encourage employee’s interactions in informal settings which improve their loyalty to the organization. Employees may also be given cash bonuses, paid leaves and travel and shopping coupons. This will help them feel valued and will motivate them to improve their performance.

Key legal and ethical issues with specific examples that could potentially impact the performance management system.

One of the legal and ethical issues affecting performance management system is insider trading. Insider trading can be lawful or illegal conduct. It is legal when the executives and other employees buy and sell stock in their organization. Therefore, this remains legal as long as it does not breach the managers or employees fiduciary responsibility, trust and confidence or if the staff has no knowledge of the stock information by being in the organization (Ghani, 2015). Insider trading affects performance management system since the senior managers may allow poor corporate performance if it profits them.

Monitoring of employees actions remains one of the ethical issues that impact on performance management. Monitoring raises privacy issues among employees, and this may result to debates on employees’ rights to privacy (Ghani, 2015). Monitoring should not invade employee’s privacy or instill fear in them. For example, if employee’s actions are closely watched or recorded they may be afraid, and this negatively affects their performance. Senior managers may use performance appraisals to reward employees with excellent performance and recommend improvements in areas that need improvement. There are several ways through which staff evaluations may be carried out. This calls for managers to conduct performance appraisals ethically. Managers must ensure that employees are promoted or demoted on merits and not on biased information. Performance appraisals must be carried out to reinforce positive behavior, to motivate employees and determine employees pay (Ghani, 2015). Employees need to understand what is being checked through the performance appraisals and encouraged to rate their fellow employees.